Classic Argos Game: Edmonton Eskimos at Toronto Argonauts 21-Sep-1991

[Will]

The Argos are coming off a tough loss to Calgary in which they lost Matt Dunigan and Rocket Ismail to injury. The Rocket will return to the lineup, but Dunigan will be out of action, which means that Rickey Foggie gets the start for the Argos. Edmonton is not without their injuries as Tracy Ham will not start this game. Instead, Edmonton will go with Warren Jones. Edmonton and Toronto made a trade prior to this game with the Argos acquiring star WR David Williams. Don Wittman and Joe Galat have the call from SkyDome in Toronto on CBC.

[ArgoRavi]

It should be a doozy!

[Will]

Rickey Foggie completed 14 of 25 passes for 370 yards and the Argos beat Edmonton 47-28. I'm probably beating a dead horse here, however, the Argos offense actually struggled to some degree down the stretch in 1991. Matt Dunigan was hurt in a game against Calgary, and Foggie made starts against Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg x 2, Calgary, Hamilton and Ottawa.

Vs Edmonton: 14-25-370-5-1 objectively an excellent game
at Ottawa: 14-29-181-1-3 Toronto aided by Harold Hallman defensive TD
Vs Winnipeg: 15-30-229-1-1
at Winnipeg: 8-17-168-1-0
Vs Calgary: 16-36-262-1-3
at Hamilton: 17-41-361-2-2
Vs Ottawa: 5-13-84-1-0

Hindsight is 20/20 and I realize it was a different game back then, but I think the warning signs were there for 1992.

I think the reason I harp on this a ton is because the Dunigan departure is one of the primary on-field reasons for why the Argos are drawing what they are right now. That 20-52 span from '92 to '95 really took a dent out of the fanbase.

[OV Argo]

Rickey Foggie completed 14 of 25 passes for 370 yards and the Argos beat Edmonton 47-28. I'm probably beating a dead horse here, however, the Argos offense actually struggled to some degree down the stretch in 1991. Matt Dunigan was hurt in a game against Calgary, and Foggie made starts against Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg x 2, Calgary, Hamilton and Ottawa.

Vs Edmonton: 14-25-370-5-1 objectively an excellent game
at Ottawa: 14-29-181-1-3 Toronto aided by Harold Hallman defensive TD
Vs Winnipeg: 15-30-229-1-1
at Winnipeg: 8-17-168-1-0
Vs Calgary: 16-36-262-1-3
at Hamilton: 17-41-361-2-2
Vs Ottawa: 5-13-84-1-0

Hindsight is 20/20 and I realize it was a different game back then, but I think the warning signs were there for 1992.

I think the reason I harp on this a ton is because the Dunigan departure is one of the primary on-field reasons for why the Argos are drawing what they are right now. That 20-52 span from '92 to '95 really took a dent out of the fanbase.

Interesting perspective re the fan base dent.

Yet in Ottawa - a long sad-sack. losing Rough Riders fold; followed by no team for a number of years and then another losing team in the Renegades, who fold as well, and then another long no team period till the RedBlacks come along, and they have been losing for several years straight now. But Ottawa - with a fraction of the demographic to draw from - still puts way more fans in the stands than the Argos (who had that 92 to 95 span) ??? Sorry, something just does not compute there for fanbase explainin'.

The long term blight and affect of wannabeness / NFL fan-boys / all-American hype $uckers/ "Major League" & World Class dupes, that has gripped this country - citizens & media - , and hurt the CFL as well, has much more power and persuasiveness in some parts of the map up here. The CFL has had no answer for decades, and can't help the most badly affected area (i.e. the GTA)

[Will]

The 20-52 record was hardly the only factor that contributed, however, the Argos were drawing in the 30,000 - 39,000 range from 1989 to 1991, and by 1995 they were lucky to be getting 15,000 to 20,000 on some nights.

[OV Argo]

The 20-52 record was hardly the only factor that contributed, however, the Argos were drawing in the 30,000 - 39,000 range from 1989 to 1991, and by 1995 they were lucky to be getting 15,000 to 20,000 on some nights.

I'd wager the honeymoon with The Skydome - shiny, modern new stadium - was mostly over by then, and this was a big factor; lotsa people attracted to see a nice new stadium in their city, but sticking with a team and spending dollars consistently on them is another matter. Combine the no more shiny new stadium attraction with the continued hammered home anti-CFL propaganda (still a factor) in that part of the map, and these are much bigger factors than a few years of poor or losing teams, IMO. The Jays have had some attendance struggles over the years, and some losing seasons, no? - but they get all kinds of hype and attention from our "Major League" hype $uckers in the media up here, while OTOH the Argos / CFL are either treated with ignorance or derision often.